an epilogue to...Day of Honour
by canibetorres
Summary: Tom and B'Elanna discover their true feelings following B'Elanna's confession.


An Epilogue to the episode …

An Epilogue to the episode …

** **

**Day of Honour**

** **

B'Elanna held Tom as tightly as she could. She tried to imagine how his body would feel if he wasn't wearing an environmental suit.

She already knew, of course, she had experienced this need to touch him before, on Sakari, while under the influence of the Vulcan instinct, Pon-Fahr. 

Those feelings, for the most part, had been generated by the desire for sex; but these, these feelings were real, unhindered by chemical imbalances in her brain. All she wanted now was Tom.

She felt his body shift in its environmental suit. She didn't bother to open her eyes. She didn't want to be roused from this moment of true contentment.

Tom muttered a few strangled words.

One sounded like Captain, but she wasn't sure.

Then darkness surrounded her.

B'Elanna felt empty, emptier than when she had been floating in space moments before.

She took one last breath and clutched at Tom harder.

He was gone from her grasp.

Or had she been taken from him?

Then she heard the gentle whine of the Transporter.

She opened her eyes.

She lay on the Transporter Pad. The environmental suit was gone, and so was Tom.

She took a few deep breaths.

The sudden flow of Oxygen rushed into her lungs.

And left her gasping for breathes.

She felt a hypospray against her neck.

Chakotay's face appeared above her, and she felt his strong arms help her stand.

She collapsed into his embrace, and he held her tight.

She closed her eyes and allowed her breathing to steady.

Once this had been achieved she severed Chakotay's hold on her and she fought against disorientation, as she stood alone.

"How are you feeling?" His voice was soft and warm.

"Fine." She blurted.

Chakotay nodded his approval.

"Where's Tom?" She was still in shock at being back safe. She had forgotten about the man she loved.

"I'm…I'm…I am…Here."

B'Elanna turned to face the Transporter Pad. Tom was standing with the Doctor, who was taking readings on a Tricorder, he didn't look happy.

"You to both need rest." He announced. "Take a days leave and report to Sickbay at 0900 hours for further tests." He paused to give the lieutenants time to acknowledge his orders then carried on. "I've given you both a triox agent, it should help your lungs readjust to the increase of Oxygen in the atmosphere."

"Thanks Doc." Tom strode unsteadily to the door. He glanced at B'Elanna as he passed her.

She looked away.

"Would you like me to help you to your quarters?" Chakotay asked. He was being genuinely kind, but B'Elanna didn't need to be helped.

"I'll be fine." She attempted a weak smile then walked as gracefully as she could from the Transporter room. 

***

Tom lay in bed. He was wide-awake.

He had been contemplating calling B'Elanna for the last two hours.

It was 0220 hours now. Tom wasn't sure it would be wise to call her at this hour; he'd wait until morning.

He rolled from his back to his side and puffed his pillow. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

He thought of B'Elanna. Was she lying awake still too?

_No! _She could wait until morning.he had to sleep.

He rolled back onto his back; but he needed to know.

Had she meant what she had said? Or had she been so delirious that she was saying anything to make him feel better?

He really had to sleep.

He pulled his bed cover around himself and tried to imagine B'Elanna's embrace, in the hope it would help him sleep.

It didn't work, and he ended up wanting to call her more.

He felt like such an idiot. Usually he was good with women. He never fretted about making the right decision.

But B'Elanna was different.

She wasn't just any woman.

He had decided this a long time ago.

_God! I'm tired._ He thought.

He rolled over again and made himself forget her.

It worked for the whole of five seconds before she invaded his mind again.

He groaned and tried to forget how beautiful, and smart, and funny…_this really isn't working!_ He thought frustrated.

He pushed back his covers.

Maybe the cool air of his quarters would help him sleep.

An hour later he was finally nearing a REM state.

An alarm sounded in his cabin!

Tom groaned and pushed back his sheets, which he had unconsciously pulled back over himself.

It was his door chime, he realised.

He went to the door and opened it.

Before him, stood B'Elanna.

She was wearing a short, scarlet, cotton nightdress and a blood red dressing gown.

She looked as tired as he felt.

He rubbed his eyes to check he wasn't dreaming.

She was still there when he opened them.

"Can I come in?" she asked. Her voice was almost a whisper. She was either trying not to wake his neighbours, or she hadn't adjusted to the Oxygen levels quite yet.

It was probably the former.

"How can I help you, lieutenant?" He asked, ushering her in.

"We need to talk." She stepped into his quarters; she tried to avoid his gaze as she looked around her.

"How are you feeling?" He directed her to the sofa.

She took a seat. She tucked her legs beneath her, and then she allowed herself to meet Tom's deep blue eyes. "I'm fine," she paused and yawned. "A little worn out, but I couldn't sleep."

"I couldn't either." Tom admitted. He took a seat beside B'Elanna.

She shifted a little, nervously, and then smiled at him.

"Tom…"

He knew what she was going to say. She was going to tell him how much she considered him a friend, and how she cared for him, just not as a lover. He knew her confession had been to good to be true.

"…I meant what I said earlier." Her voice cracked as she forced the words out.

"Oh!" He exclaimed.

"Of course…" She paused"…If you don't feel the same way…I'll understand."

"B'Elanna…I love you to." He whispered. He placed his hand lightly to her face. He felt her cheeks gradually get a little hotter as she flushed in embarrassment.

"You do?" She asked. She didn't sound unsure, just taken aback. 

"Yes." He let his hand fall from her face to her arm. He searched her eyes and saw them shine with passion.

"Show me." She pressed her lips together then pouted.

Tom took this as an invitation to kiss her.

He pulled her body to his.

He felt her firm breasts press against him as she received and returned his soft, questioning kiss. And she trembled, slightly, in his arms.

She pulled away first.

She searched his eyes for a while.

Content he was telling her the truth she leant into his embrace.

He placed his head in her soft hair.

He held her tight. Her body was soft, and warm against his.

Several minutes later he saw she was asleep.

He carefully picked her up, and carried her to his bed.

Then he lay he down.

He made sure he didn't wake her.

Once she was laid down, he lay down beside her; and watched as she slept.

She smiled unconsciously. 

Tom closed his eyes and fell straight to sleep, B'Elanna still in his arms.

***

When B'Elanna awoke she sat up and pushed her covers aside.

She looked around her at the messy quarters.

She felt disoriented.

It took her a few minutes to remember where she was.

And when she did she sighed in contentment, and looked around her for Tom.

The light in his bathroom was on, so she walked in that direction.

She peered around the doorway.

Tom's nightclothes were in a pile, on the floor, in front of his sonic shower.

She could hear the shower whining.

"Tom?" She called out

"I'm in the shower." He called back. "There's breakfast on the table." He added.

B'Elanna moved to the centre of Tom's quarters, there, on the pine table, were a stack of pancakes, a pitcher of orange juice, a jug of maple syrup, and two steaming mugs of coffee.

She sat at the table and placed several of the pancakes on an empty plate, and then she poured syrup over them.

She took a bite of her food before pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

She ate and drank, enjoying the sugar content that clashed with the citrus beverage.

After a few minutes she looked up from her plate.

Tom was standing by his bathroom door. He smiled at her, before coming to join her.

"Do you like them?" He asked as he sat, and dished a generous portion of the food out for himself.

She nodded as she licked a drop of syrup from her lip.

"I took the liberty of fetching some clothes from your quarters." He gestured to a pile of clothing that was sat on his sofa. "We have to see the Doctor in an hour."

"O.k." She replied. And hurriedly added a, "Thank you." Then she continued, "I'm still so tired."

"So am I." Tom admitted. "I think it's our bodies reactions to the depletion of Oxygen we were faced with."

"I guess." She paused. "Or the lack of rest." She suggested.

"There was rest."

"At about 4 am." She frowned. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Here." He quickly walked across to the sofa and handed her a clean uniform.

"Thank you." She replied gratefully. B'Elanna smiled and went to take her shower.

She had decided that she was glad Tom wasn't forcing her into anything to soon into this new relationship.

_And that…_She thought…_Is why I love him._

_ _

The End


End file.
